Turtle farming

Turtle farming is the practice of raising turtles and tortoises of various species for commercial purposes. These animals are often sold for food, used in traditional medicine, or kept as pets. Some farms also sell young turtles to other farms, either to be bred or to grow larger before being sold again.

Most turtle farms focus on freshwater turtles, such as Chinese softshell turtles, which are raised for food, and sliders and cooter turtles, which are often sold as pets. Because these animals live in water, turtle farming is usually considered a type of aquaculture. However, some farms also raise land tortoises, like Cuora mouhotii, for the pet trade.

There have been only a few serious efforts to farm sea turtles. Today, only one such farm remains open, located in the Cayman Islands. Other attempts, such as those in Australia's Torres Strait Islands and Réunion, did not continue for long. The farm in Réunion is now a public aquarium called Kélonia.

Geography

Japan

Japan was an early leader in softshelled turtle farming. The first farm was started by Kurajiro Hatori in Fukagawa near Tokyo in 1866, beginning with wild-caught turtles and starting to breed them in 1875. By the early 1900s, the farm had large ponds and produced many turtles and eggs each year. The turtles were mainly fed crushed bivalve mollusks, fish processing byproducts, and boiled wheat. They lived alongside carp and eels, which helped keep the water clean.

China

China is now home to most of the world's turtle farms. Ancient Chinese texts mention keeping turtles in fish ponds. Today, over a thousand farms operate there, mostly in southern provinces like Guangdong and Guangxi. These farms raise millions of turtles each year, with the Chinese softshell turtle being the most common species. The industry has grown a lot since the 1980s, and many farms produce both food and pets.

Southeast Asia

Turtle farming in Southeast Asia dates back to prehistoric times. Countries like Thailand and Vietnam have many family-run farms. In Thailand, around six million turtle hatchlings were produced annually in the late 1990s. In Vietnam, farms near Ha Tinh have been successful, raising thousands of turtles and improving local incomes.

United States

Turtle farming in the United States began in the early 1900s, mainly in states like Maryland and North Carolina. However, by the late 20th century, most turtles sold in the U.S. were wild-caught. Louisiana has had many turtle farms, producing millions of turtles each year, mostly for export. A ban on selling small turtles within the U.S. was introduced to prevent disease spread, but farms can still export turtles with proper permits.

Cayman Islands

The Cayman Turtle Farm in the Cayman Islands raises green sea turtles for meat, a traditional local food. Established in 1968, the farm produces over 1,800 turtles a year and has released many back into the wild. The farm also aims to be a top tourist attraction and helps reduce wild turtle poaching.

Europe

In Eastern Europe, particularly North Macedonia, turtle farms supply pets to shops in European Union countries.

Effect on wild populations

As noted by conservation expert Peter Paul van Dijk, farm-raised turtles have become more common in markets, especially in China. By around 2007, most turtles sold came from farms, not the wild. However, this can hurt wild turtles because some farmers prefer using wild turtles for breeding, which can encourage people to catch the last remaining wild turtles.

Some people try to help wild turtles by raising farm turtles and releasing them, but experts warn this might spread diseases from farms to the wild.